The OS X Kernel is /mach_kernel on your install disc. This file is what shows the initial Apple logo or Happy Mac while it loads the kernel & kextcache over the network (you’ll know the kernel is loaded successfully when you see the spinner or rainbow wheel). usr/standalone/ppc/bootx.bootinfo /usr/standalone/i386/boot.efi
#How to netboot macbook mac os x
The bootloader file, typically renamed 'booter’, aka BootX (the CHRP PPC Open Firmware Mac OS X booter) or boot.efi (for x86 Macs), can be found on the install disc of your choice in the following places: Hdiutil convert -format UDRW image.iso -o output.dmg You will want to convert any ISOs to a UDRW dmg first. Make a disk image of your chosen install disc various versions can also be downloaded from Apple’s Developer Site going back to 10.2 Server. If you don’t use an architecture subfolder, it will assume the files are ppc-only. You will need some things from the disk image to build the NetBoot image in the first place these files are architecture-specific if you’re making a Universal image, so provide copies with the right arch in the corresponding ppc or i386 folder. As updated retail discs are generally hard to come by, you may want to make images of the discs that came with your Mac when you bought it. a 10.2.0 install disc image, it will not work on a first-gen PowerMac G5 even though that G5 came with 10.2.7. Be warned that a Mac usually comes with the minimum OS that will boot it, so if you make e.g. You can provide both PowerPC and x86 versions of the latter three items for OSes that support both PowerPC and x86, like 10.4 or 10.5.įirst thing to do is make or find a disk image of the OS you want to install. nbi extension and a handful of files inside - typically a single disk image, a settings plist, a bootloader, a kernel and a kernel extension cache. NetBoot images are folders in your NetBoot storage location (typically /Library/NetBoot/NetBootSP0) with a. Gigabit ethernet is quite likely faster than any SSD you could install in an older Mac.You do custom kernel or OS development, and need a faster way of booting PPC or x86 Macs.Installing over ethernet is much faster than from the CD-ROM drives in older Macs.
You may not have a functional disc drive anymore (it happens!).You regularly need an easy, fast, way of installing OS X on multiple machines.If you want to hack together a custom Mac OS ROM to boot Classic over NetBoot, be my guest! It should be noted that 10.0, 10.1, and even Mac OS 9 NetBoot images are also 'supported’ in theory, however the OSes themselves will not actually mount the OS over the network (presumably due to changes in OS X, AppleTalk, AFP, etc over time moreso than intentional deprecation) so none of them will boot as intended. Thankfully, if you follow the instructions in the bootpd manpage you can manually build NetBoot images supporting both PowerPC and Intel Macs going back to OS X v10.2. Mavericks Server (an app free to all developers) has a built-in NetBoot (NetInstall) server GUI, but it only supports a handful of modern versions of OS X. NetBooting a full install should also be possible using the same techniques. For this piece, interchange ‘NetBoot’ with 'NetInstall’ if you’re being pedantic - I’m NetBooting the install disc for a particular OS.
#How to netboot macbook how to
NetBoot PowerPC & Intel Macs from Mavericks Server April 25 2014Īs part of some maintenance here, I did a little research as to how to set up NetBoot for various different Macs.